Olly Olly Oxen Free!?

We really shouldn't grow up you know. I realize that more and more everyday. The lessons of childhood were all about this. Growing up, I mean. Preparing for these doldrums of Nine to Fiveing. I think of it as the Adult On-Set Blahs disease. Where people forget how to have fun, how to find joy in the smallest of things, how to speak the truth because you don't know any better. And what a travesty that the one thing we DO seem to hang on to is all the paltry little trivial name-calling and tattle-taleing. The same snotty and patronizing behavior that made you dread sitting alone at lunch is still going strong at the proverbial water cooler apparently. But all the fun stuff that made it more bearable has disappeared. Like recess. And nap time. And electives! Can you imagine how much better the day would be if we still had swings to run for once the bell rang, and a little mat to lay down on for even 15 minutes! (Come on people, we need naps now more than ever.) And oh how I would love to have an elective subject to get to go to as a part of my work schedule. "Yes boss, I'll give you that report right after art class this afternoon."
I must confess that my creativity has gone missing because of the daily grind. The mundane seems to be saved for the adult ages, and why?? Because we now supposedly know more or know better? I don't think wisdom was supposed to = boring. (Though all those "wise old owls" sure don't seem like they're up all hours of the night having fun.) Or maybe for many people, it's because they have kids and so someone should act like they're all mature and stuff? But I really don't have that excuse, and should there be a day when I am a parent, I would hope I can still remember how important it is to play with abandon. What is it that makes us lose the zest for life that children have? Because even when we do meet someone that miraculously still displays it, we treat them like they were dropped on their head rather than seeing that they've found a better way than us to experience it. What I'm realizing, as I prepare in advance for my mid-life crisis, is that it's no wonder the wonder went missing. We spend our youth hastily pushing toward adulthood only to realize that Shaw was probably right. Youth is wasted on the young. But personally, as I sit here disgruntled with the state of blah I've allowed myself to get to, I'm thinking we might should be saying "Experience is wasted on the old". Either way, this adult on-set disease is self-imposed and therefore optional. So I think I'm going to see about doing a little creative regression and get my inner child back out again. Anyone else ready to play? Good! You're it.

41

Just remember, once you're over the hill you begin to pick up speed. ~ Charles Schulz

You be the Judge.

We are a judgmental society. I suppose maybe most are, since it's been an apparent issue of note as far back as the Bible goes, but I can only speak for the society I live in. And here I go.
Even those that judge us are judged. I've been especially interested in the confirmation hearings of late for the two women that have been candidates for Justices of the Supreme Court. If ever there was a time for others to run wild with an agonizing scrutinization of one's life, being the next contestant for public office seems to be it. What's interesting to me is that the main concept of judging, is to draw a conclusion on something based on evidence. I think that last part gets left out a majority of the time when it comes to the everyday, layman adjudications of others. And evidence means more than just your observations my friends. There should be something that furnishes proof.

So let's talk about what I see as the three flavors of unjustly "judging" others. Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Bigotry. They all should leave a bad taste in your mouth, but we know that there are those that find them delicious. I think stereotypes are prevalent because there is unfortunately some kind of a majority that personifies the mental image. My problem with these though, is that they seem to lead to prejudices. Prejudice is learned. Which also means that somebody is teaching it. Teaching that certain kinds of people deserve to be treated badly. It's like a nightmarish family tradition that's been handed down for generations as if it were a priceless heirloom. And then if you're really ambitious, you can go for the triple dipper and plop that big ole scoop of bigotry right on top. The granddaddy of them all. This entails devotion to your narrow-minded, chauvinistic ignorance and hatred. It takes a special kind of person to develop that kind of stupid.
If you think you detect just a slight pinch of intolerance in what I'm saying, you're right. I have essentially no patience for the myopic fanatics who do everything but promote a moral standard for society. What they DO promote, is marginalization and hostility. Why is America saturated with this kind of muck? I've always found it so ironic that the country that was founded by those who were looking to escape from prejudice and oppression, ends up perpetuating the dilemma. But I think that's because it's human nature to judge others. And the scary thing of it is - we ALL do it. One way or another, even you have made some sort of remark, or most certainly have registered a thought, that could be classified as bigoted, intolerant, discriminatory, or prejudicial. My question is, was it based on the evidence? Or did it just leave a bad taste in your mouth? You be the Judge, I guess.

Everything IS relative.

Yeah it's been awhile. Seems like the "stream of consciousness" thing runs dry a lot faster the older you get. At least that's my excuse. ANYway...
Have you ever wondered on occasion how in the world you can be related to someone in your family? Where every time you get around your cousins you start singing "one of these things is not like the other..."? (I'm usually humming it to myself). Or you go to a family reunion and wonder if you missed some memo about it being a retro theme party and you were supposed to wear clothes from any era other than the current one? Of course in my family, we apparently like to mix certain styles with certain eras, as I have an Uncle that likes to wear western shirts with penny loafers. (And to be honest, it actually fits his personality well!) My personal experience has been that Jeff Foxworthy's well-known routine immediately starts resounding through my head - "If you consider The Clapper one of the best gifts you've ever gotten.... you might be a redneck" and so on. Well if you haven't had to wonder about the relativity of relatives, then you must not have any...
But while I've been marveling at some of the special traits of my family members, I have started realizing that it really has nothing to do with our gene pool. I mean, it might make sense to think that because we're coming from the same people, the same "blood", we would have similar ways of doing things and compatible styles and interests. But what's true for the Brady Bunch doesn't necessarily apply everywhere else! Being kin doesn't automatically mean you are akin.
So here's my theory. I like to think we all get an internal backpack of gear when we come into the world. Call it a figurative survival kit of sorts maybe. And I imagine that it's all pretty much the same gear, but the difference is not everybody always gets the stuff in the same condition. For example, while I might have a brand new flashlight in my kit, my rain poncho might be full of holes and tears. (Believe me, I'm pretty sure I know some people who started off missing a few tent poles!) But you get my meaning. And as all things are, it's a learning process to even figure out what condition your stuff is in to begin with. Unfortunately, we usually find out their condition after experiencing a situation where they didn't work so well. (Trust me, you don't wanna find out the hard way that your "matches" weren't waterproof after all...)
And then we all know there are those who don't know HOW to use their survival kits appropriately. Always shooting off their flare guns or using up all the band aids on a little scratch. (And you can always tell who hasn't read the manual.)

So I guess I'm saying that I think there are those who make the absolute best of what they get, who learn how to repair and add to and replenish their kits. And there are those who are forever displeased with the supplies they were given, and never seem to make it out of the woods. Doesn't matter what kind of blood or genetics run through you, we're all going to experience our own life expedition differently depending on what we do or don't take with us through the years and more importantly, what we've learned from using our "supplies" and watching others use theirs. So really, I'd prefer that the catch phrase went "Only the clever survive". Here's hoping your compass is always pointing true north.

Bach's "Refreshment of the soul"

"Music has charms to soothe the savage breast, to soften rocks or bend a knotted oak." ~ William Congreve
I bet most people don't know the rest of that quote after thinking it says "soothe the savage beast". But I know it to be so true. I couldn't live without music. Take my eyes, my nose, my mouth, but leave me my ears so I can still hear the babbling brooks, the humming bees, the clanging church bells, the thunder of the sky, the serenading of the birds. I think of so much in terms of music. (Not theory for goodness sake!) But you know in the way an architect thinks in terms of design and form; the way a mechanic thinks in terms of how this fits into that and what makes something work and move and function. How certain creatures work together like sections in an orchestra to create their own symphonies in nature and even the rhythms of industry can be turned into percussion for a new anthem.
Of course not everything is music to my ears. For those sounds that drive me crazy, I just conceptualize a bad school band during rehearsal.

I think people envision heaven in terms of what seems like paradise to them now. I envision it with the most brilliant of orchestras, every band and singer I have ever loved, and the opportunities not just to listen in the front row, but to play or sing with all of them at any time I ever want. And, I would sound really really good! In the meantime though, music certainly makes me feel like I'm closer to my idea of a heaven. By far, I have always felt some of the deepest emotion and inspiration by participating in or being aurally swept away in music. I am a savage beast without music. It would be worse than having no more sun. And I find that when my mood is particularly low, or I am especially lazy or dull, it's because I have lapsed from making it, or allowing it to overwhelm me. We all have those things which speak the loudest to us. The stuff that actually does soften our stubborn, rock hard heads, and loosens the knots inside of us. For me...you guessed it.

“The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” Johann Sebastian Bach